


Hero

by taedreamer



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Kidnapping, Hurt, M/M, Psychological Trauma, Self-Sacrifice, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2020-12-28 22:15:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21144080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taedreamer/pseuds/taedreamer
Summary: “Hyung? What-"“Someone’s in the dorm."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> none of the underage members will be involved with the noncon tag!!!
> 
> and although it may take a little while, they will all be okay!!
> 
> this is based off a line from a fic i read a while ago: "Mark is a hero." just keep reading to find out where it comes in
> 
> i hope y'all like it :))))

Chenle had gone to bed about an hour ago, leaving only Mark and Donghyuck awake. Jisung was fast asleep on the couch, too tired to even change after getting home from practice. The youngest surely smelt awful, and his body would be sticky from sweat come morning, but Mark didn’t have it in him to wake him up.

Donghyuck let out a yawn, stretching his arms in the air before standing up. Mark watched him curiously, smiling when the younger glanced down at him.

“I’m tired, hyung. I’m going to bed.” Mark nodded and flicked his eyes back toward the television, watching a rerun of a variety show.

The younger made it to the hallway before stopping and turning back toward the older.

“Hyung?” Mark quickly glanced back, concern in his eyes.

“Yeah?”

Donghyuck smiled, blinking slowly.

“I’m glad you’re staying with us again, even though it’s only for a few days. We missed you.” And before the older could even process the words, Donghyuck was shuffling down the hall, swinging his door shut behind him.

The words had made Mark happy, happier than he had been in months. It was weird not seeing the Dreamies all the time. Even though Mark had usually slept in the NCT 127 dorm, he made sure to stay with the younger members at least a couple times a week. It had made them closer, but since he turned twenty, it hadn’t been the same.

Luckily, Mark and the rest of 127 didn’t have any schedules until Thursday, so he had five days of just dance practice. Since NCT Dream practiced at the same time as them, the managers saw no problem in letting Mark visit.

Donghyuck had been the happiest to have him back, even though he got to see him more than the others. The two were practically joined at the hip before Mark’s birthday, though, and the separation wasn’t sitting well with either of them.

The oldest sighed, deciding that he had thought about it long enough. There was nothing he could do to change anything. Not until Donghyuck got too old, and they still had a little while.

Mark quickly turned off the television, standing up as quietly as possible. He grabbed one of the softer throw blankets from the loveseat, turning and draping it lightly over Jisung. The damn kid was too long for it, but it was the best he was going to get that late at night.

The older slowly made his way toward the hall, flicking off the lights as he went. Once shrouded in darkness, Mark was careful not to trip on anything. He went from room to room, checking on each of the members before finally ending with Donghyuck.

The younger was already fast asleep on the bottom bunk, the one that Mark used to sleep on. The older didn’t feel like climbing up to the top, so instead he decided Donghyuck was just going to have to scoot over.

After stripping down to his underwear and putting on a clean sleep shirt, the boy lifted the covers and maneuvered himself in. Donghyuck rustled around a bit at first, but eventually settled into Mark’s side. The older smiled at his dongsaeng’s antics, wishing he wouldn’t have to leave them again in only a few short days.

Rather than dwelling on the thought, the larger boy relaxed and closed his eyes, knowing he would forget about it come morning.

Mark had only just managed to fall asleep when he heard it. There was a thump, a loud one, and the sound of wood splintering. The boy wanted to pretend he had just imagined it, but the sound he heard next is what shot him out of bed.

“Hey! What- Mark hyung!” The scream was loud and part of Mark hoped that the neighbors had heard through the thick walls.

Without thinking, he shook Donghyuck awake. The boy grumbled but cracked his eyes open at his hyung’s forceful movements. The alarm on Mark’s face must have been evident though, because Donghyuck was quick to sit up as well.

“Hyung? What-“

“Someone’s in the dorm. Call the police. I need to go help Jisung. Hurry-“

Mark was already halfway toward the door when it shot open, causing both boys to flinch back in surprise. When Mark looked up, a large man with short hair stood in the doorway. His eyes were dark and vaguely uninterested, but he took a step into the room regardless.

“Both of you, up. Now.” Donghyuck sat still for a second, eyes darting to his hyung. Mark was watching the man, slowly inching his way between him and the younger boy.

“I said now!” The shout had Donghyuck clambering out of bad as well, tears pricking the back of his eyes. His phone was left open and forgotten on the empty sheets.

The younger stood behind Mark, avoiding looking at the burly man before them. Mark, however, couldn’t look away.

The man glanced around the room quickly before muttering out another command.

“You. Bring me your phones.” The man pointed a short, round finger at Mark, who slowly nodded and began shuffling toward the bed. Donghyuck whimpered at the older’s absence, despite his attempts to remain silent.

Mark reached the bed, grabbing both his and Donghyuck’s phones. He sighed sadly as he locked Donghyuck’s and walked back toward the man. Mark offered the out to the intruder, gasping as he quickly swiped them away. Before any of them could blink, the assailant was throwing them both on the hard floor, stomping on them with big, heavy boots. Donghyuck jumped at the sound, clinging to Mark once again.

Once the man was done, he glanced up at them.

“Let’s go. Now.” He reached out, gripping onto Mark’s forearm and pulling hard. The boy stepped forward to catch himself, glass from the broken phones embedding itself in his feet immediately.

“Shit.” The boy sucked in a quick breath, trying to ignore the pain as the man shoved him into the hallway. The same was done to Donghyuck, but having watched Mark already, he was smart enough to jump over the tiny glass shards.

The man was behind them now, pushing roughly and signaling them to walk. Mark thought about turning and fighting. He didn’t see a weapon on the guy, and although he was large, he wasn’t too tall. Mark might have been able to hold him off so Donghyuck could get the others out.

He was about to turn, trusting his instincts when he heard a yelp from the living room: Chenle. There was more than one intruder, and there was absolutely no way Mark could take on two of these guys, let alone more.

“Don’t touch him.” Jeno sounded angry, something so uncharacteristic of the boy. As the three of them turned the corner, Mark’s eyes widened when he saw three men leaning over the rest of the Dreamies, smiling darkly.

Chenle was clutching his cheek, a red mark obvious even in the dim lighting. The man standing closest to him, the one responsible for the injury, was looking at Jeno and laughing loudly. The sound was repulsive and it made Mark’s skin crawl.

Suddenly, the man behind him had both his and Donghyuck’s shoulders in vise grips. He quickly shoved them down until they were both on their knees, the younger wincing when he hit the ground.

The noice drew the other’s attention. Both the Dreamies, as well as the other three intruders were staring at them. Jisung and Renjun had tears in their eyes and quickly falling down their cheeks. Jeno looked sad but angry, ready to stand up and fight at any second. Jaemin looked lost, eyes searching and lip quivering. And Chenle, poor Chenle, sat stunned holding his cheek and staring at the ground.

“These are the last two.” The man finally walked around them so that Mark could see him, this time in the light. He had an ugly scar under his eye that the oldest noticed immediately. He glanced back at the two, before turning back toward his accomplices.

The four began speaking in hushed voices, some occasionally laughing or pointing at one of the members. It unnerved Mark, and the boy couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to them.

Whatever their fate, Mark decided then and there that he would do anything and everything to keep his members safe.


	2. Chapter 2

“Who is the oldest?”

Mark’s eyes snapped up toward one of the four men, immediately retreating from his self-sacrificing thoughts. This man was taller than the one who had retrieved him and Donghyuck. His hair was longer and greasy, eyes beady as he looked around the room.

Mark cleared his throat, focusing on keeping his eyes on the man instead of cowering away.

“Me.” The tall man smiled, showing off his dull teeth. He stepped around the loveseat, eyes locked on Mark and Mark alone. Once he reached the younger boy, still kneeling on the ground, the man stopped walking. He stood still for a moment, snickering and glancing back toward the other men.

Mark thought the action was odd, but his mind quickly supplied that this man was probably the leader. The other intruders laughed along, save the man with the scar, who just continued to look bored and menacing.

Before Mark could comprehend what was happening, the leader whipped around, launching his open palm against the younger’s cheek. The contact is loud, causing Donghyuck to gasp from beside him and Mark to fall to his side. The older boy held in the yelp he had wanted to let out, trying to remain strong in front of his younger members. He didn’t want to scare them more than the men undoubtedly already had.

“You weren’t supposed to be here, were you? I was expecting six.” Mark pulled himself back up to his knees, holding his jaw before quickly focusing on the tall man once again.

He chose not the answer the question, assuming that it was rhetorical anyway. The man smiled as Mark gritted his teeth and glared up at him, laughing before turning away.

“Then which one of you is the youngest?” The question was smoother, purred out in a way that made Mark’s stomach clench. The oldest could see Jisung swallow, eyes searching around the room for a way out. Chenle and Renjun both lowered their gazes, hands shaking and salty tears falling. Mark was about to speak up again, hopefully pulling the attention away from the youngest, when Jeno spoke up.

“Me. I’m the youngest.”

Mark sucked in a quick breath. Jeno looked young, even more so with his long pajama pants and fluffy hair. But Jisung was a baby, eyes unbelievably wide and voice higher than air. There was no way Jeno looked younger than their maknae, and the leader seemed to realize that as well.

The tall man laughed airily, his eyes narrowing on the boy.

“You?” Jeno looked down after seeing the man’s intense gaze, nodding slowly.

“You’re the maknae?” Jeno nodded again, shoulders sagging as the man laughed once again. Suddenly, the intruder lunged around the coffee table, seizing Jeno by the hair and pulling hard. The boy yelped, standing in order to find relief. The leader yanked him off the couch and toward the other three men, throwing him onto the carpeted floor.

“Jeno!” Mark let the cry out without realizing, eyes fixed on the crumpled boy clutching his scalp. The men ignored him though, choosing instead to toe at the boy with large boots, laughing all the while.

The leader turned back around to face the other six members, smile long gone.

“You’re telling me that this is your maknae?” The man pointed back toward Jeno who was shifting around on the floor, trying to climb onto his knees. As soon as he made it, however, one of the men kicked him hard in the back, sending him flying onto his face. He let out a quiet cry of pain and the men all snickered. Jeno decided to stay on the ground.

None of the members made a sound, keeping their eyes down and doing everything not to look at Jeno sprawled on the floor. Jisung looked half a second away from saying something, the tears flowing quickly down his pale cheeks. Mark could only hope the boy would hold it in. Jeno was older, stronger. He would be okay.

“Fine. Until the real maknae speaks up, we’re going to have some fun with this one.” Mark noticed the man’s eyes linger on Jisung for a second, the smile reappearing on his lips.

The word fun left a tension in the air. Chenle sucked in a breath before hiding his head in his hands, unable to watch whatever was about to happen. Jisung, however, was suddenly locked on Jeno like a laser, the tears falling without the boy even realizing. Mark glanced between the two boys, and although he couldn’t see the older’s face, he hoped he was signaling for Jisung to stay quiet. He hoped he would be brave.

“Please don’t hurt him!” Donghyuck couldn’t hold it back anymore, the shout coming out unnecessarily loud. The men all snapped their eyes up toward the boy, none of them looking amused. Mark heard the boy squeak, realization at what he’d just done sinking in. One of the men, the one with the scar, pushed himself off of the wall he was leaning against and stalked over, eyes narrow and lips stern.

The man grabbed Donghyuck by the hair, standing behind him and pulling up hard. The boy cried out, eyes drawn shut in pain.

“Please! I’m sorry! I’ll be quiet, I-“

“If you all don’t learn how to behave, we’re going to have to kill you.” The leader mumbled the words without paying much attention to Donghyuck. His eyes were on his hands, and more specifically, the sharp knife within them. Mark hadn’t noticed it before and assumed the man had it hidden.

The man with the scar let go of Donghyuck’s hair and the boy immediately began nodding his head. He didn’t dare open his mouth to acknowledge his agreement and Mark was thankful.

“Now. What’s you name, maknae?” The leader crouched down slowly. Jeno had remained still and silent on the ground after the kick, and didn’t look up at the question. The intruder didn’t lash out, however, and Mark didn’t know how to feel. On one hand, he was glad that Jeno could escape the violence, if only this once. But what the man did instead sent waves of panic down the oldest’s spine.

The leader grabbed Jeno by the jaw, his fingers tight but not excruciating. Slowly, the man raised the boy’s chin until he had no choice but to look up. The touch softened from there, grubby fingers petting the boy’s smoothie skin and caressing his cheek. Jeno didn’t flinch at the assault, keeping his eyes on the man and mouth set in a firm line.

“You aren’t the youngest, but you are very pretty.” Mark wanted to scream. Jeno sat still, his eyes closing for a second as a way of steeling himself.

The leader continued to rise, pulling Jeno up with him. The boy scrambled, trying to get his hands and feet underneath him. Once standing, the man finally released the younger boy’s face.

There was sniffling and muffled sobs emanating from the boys on the couch, as well as Donghyuck to his left, but Mark couldn’t cry. He couldn’t move, couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. All he could do was watch the fist pull back and fly into Jeno’s beautiful, innocent face.


	3. Chapter 3

Mark was pretty sure he heard a crack. Jeno flew backward and onto the ground once again, his knee slamming into the leg of a chair. The boy yelped, despite how hard he had been trying to hold it in. He didn’t want his weakness to compel Jisung to volunteer. He didn’t know what was in store for him, but he knew he would rather endure it than watch Jisung suffer.

“What is your name?” The leader punctuated each word sharply and Jeno knew he was growing impatient. The boy tried to push himself up, but the throbbing in his head was making it difficult. Upon feeling his face, Jeno realized that he was bleeding steadily from his nose. One of the other boys must have seen as well, judging by the light gasp he heard emanating from the couch.

Once he finally made it onto his hands and knees, Jeno looked up, copper filling his mouth and coating his teeth red.

“Jeno.”

Their captor smiled menacingly, locking his fingers in the younger’s hair tightly. He pulled Jeno to his feet, the boy making sure not to hiss and give the man the satisfaction. When he was finally standing, the man’s face only a few inches from his own, he realized the size difference between them. Jeno was one of the taller members, and definitely one of the stronger ones, but there was no chance in overpowering the man before him.

“See? If you would all just cooperate and behave, this would be much easier for the both of us.” After mumbling the words, Jeno expected the man to let him go and turn away, ask some other intrusive question, or maybe even hit him again. But Jeno was absolutely not prepared for what the man did next.

“Hold him still.” Suddenly, there were arms locking around his shoulders and throat, holding him in place quite easily. The lack of mobility caused the younger’s eyes to widen, a small sense of panic setting in despite himself.

He could see the rest of his members as he was forced to stand still, eyes pointing directly at Jisung. The younger had tears streaming down his face, Renjun’s hand tightly held in his. He looked guilty, apologetic, but Jeno just smiled as best he could, hoping that their youngest would stay quiet.

Breathing was difficult when Jeno tried to push away from the man against his back, so he allowed the intruding feeling. There must have been two men holding him, because the younger could feel one of his arms being twisted behind him at an unnatural angle. The joint was screaming in pain and Jeno let out sharp breaths through his nose, trying to ignore it.

The leader didn’t begin speaking like Mark had anticipated him too. Instead, the man glanced at each of the remaining members before turning back toward a completely captive Jeno. The man took a small step toward him, crowding the younger. Jeno wanted to move away, but the men behind him kept him still.

Mark would always be proud of the younger boy for not showing how afraid he must have been.

Rough hands tugged slowly at the boy’s wrinkled shirt, pulling the hem up until it showed a long strip of Jeno’s smooth, pale skin. Jaemin gasped at the action, audible and scared. One of the boys hiccuped a quiet sob, but Mark wouldn’t look at who it was. He wouldn’t look at anything, eyes glued to the silent determination on his donsaeng’s innocent face.

The shirt was pulled up a little higher and the man smiled appreciatively. One of the other men chuckled, the one twisting Jeno’s arm, and the boy flinched at the sound. The leader suddenly pulled the knife back out from where he had holstered it moments ago, and Mark’s mouth opened in silent desperation. Nothing would come out.

Rather than hurting Jeno, however, their captor made quick work of slicing through the thin, white material of his shirt, letting the tattered fabric fall to the floor around him. The boy’s eyes were shining with shame and terror, but he never let the tears fall; he never let his face show how scared he was.

“Not bad. I was expecting less.” The man looked over Jeno’s firm chest and the smooth muscle of his stomach.

The knife was once again lifted, the blade making soft contact with the boy’s sternum. The leader didn’t push, allowing the tip to just ghost over the exposed skin. Jeno had closed his eyes, unable to look at the blade, and the action had caused a single tear to flash down his cheek. Mark followed it as it fell, watching as it landed on the edge of the knife before gliding over the steel and down to the floor. It was oddly poetic and entrancing, neither of which could be said about their current situation.

“Hey Min, how long until Yoon’s here with the car?” The question was suggestive and Mark stared at the knife more intently, wishing for the entire situation to just stop. He couldn’t handle it, and if he couldn’t handle it, there was no telling how Jeno was fairing.

The man with the scar, Min, who had remained still behind Donghyuck since the boy’s outburst a few moments earlier, replied with a bored drone to his voice. “Long enough, Boss.”

The reply made one of the men holding Jeno huff out a laugh, the disgusting smile on his face stretching further than Mark had thought possible. The leader’s appraising eyes flicked up to meet the man behind Donghyuck, and he pulled the blade away from Jeno’s exposed body. The boy let out a quiet sob and a few more tears fell without his consent. Mark belatedly realized that the younger must have been holding his breath.

“Then let’s hurry this up a little bit.”

Mark knew Jeno couldn’t hold it back anymore, and he could never blame him for what happened.

“No, no, stop. Please, just tell us what you want. We can get you money, you don’t have to do anything to-“

Jeno’s rambling was heartbreaking and unfamiliar in Mark’s ears, the courage from only moments ago no longer visible. The men did not find the words nearly as effective, however, a few of them snickering at the boy.

The leader looked down at Jeno, thinking, before backhanding him without warning. Jeno did not fall, the men behind him supporting most of his weight, but it was obvious that he was having trouble holding up his head. He looked dizzy and disoriented, but mainly distraught. The boy had let out a soft cry at the contact and Mark looked away, unable to handle the sound.

“You shut your mouth. Things are about to get a whole lot worse for you, Jeno.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a general warning: the next chapter will likely have triggering content (although it will be very non-graphic)
> 
> so mark, jeno, renjun, donghyuck, and jaemin are all legal in korea as of new years 2019, so the noncon tag may apply to any one of them (although it will likely only apply to jeno, mark, and donghyuck. JISUNG AND CHENLE WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN ANY NONCON
> 
> (ik that noncon is still terrible, whether the members are legal or not, so i want to say that i do not condone the topics i am writing about and if you are easily triggered do not put yourself through reading the rest of this fic)
> 
> love y'all, stay safe <333


	4. Chapter 4

The slaps continued for a few more seconds, each noise being pulled from Jeno sounding more broken and scared. Mark assumed the blood from the boy’s broken nose was being joined by other cuts and scrapes, but he didn’t look up to check. All he could do was stare at the ground, thinking.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs for the men to leave his baby brother alone, but he knew he would only make it worse. Donghyuck had proven that, and Mark didn’t know what was left for him to do.

With every slap came a sob from Jisung on the couch. Mark glanced at him briefly, eyes sad but unable to do much more than process the image before him. Their youngest was curled in on himself, flinching as if he was the one being hit. His noises were louder than Jeno’s, and Mark silently willed for the boy to shut up.

The others were also crying harder, and Mark glanced at Chenle’s cheek, the bruise blooming there slowly. The discoloration left the oldest feeling sick, but before he had a moment to catch his breath, Jeno was begging again.

The hits had stopped, and Mark was tempted to look at whatever was left of his dongsaeng. He imagined the worst that he could before he lifted his eyes, hoping to alleviate the shock. Mark had never had a very vivid imagination.

Jeno’s lips were swollen and getting bigger, making his mumbled pleas nearly unrecognizable. There was a clean cut underneath his bruised eye, the left one, steadily oozing blood. Mark wondered what could have broken the skin there, before glancing toward the man’s bloodied hand, seeing the ring adorning his finger. Jeno’s nose was still bleeding, crooked and purple high on its arch.

The boy was disturbing to look at, and Mark regretted lifting his eyes almost immediately.

The blood wasn’t even the worst part, though. It was the fear in Jeno’s eyes as he watched the man rear back before each hit, the terror on his face when the man finally stopped, moving on to something much more horrific.

“Don’t- Please, don’t touch- You don’t have to do this.” The last sentence was barely a whisper, causing the man’s hands to slow as they headed down the boy’s naked abdomen, one goal in mind. The leader glanced up from his assault and Mark thought for a split second that he was actually going to stop. The older members had always said Mark was too naive, too trusting.

“I know.” That was all the man said, the words slithering out of his mouth and infecting the entire room, like venom. Mark couldn’t hold back anymore as Jeno’s eyes closed quickly an his head dropped to his chest in defeat; he couldn’t hold back as the man smiled and laughed, glancing back toward the couch before continuing his hands onto the lip of Jeno’s pajama pants. He just couldn’t.

“Stop. Stop it, please.” Mark didn’t yell, remembering the man behind him who had punished Donghyuck for being too loud. He gulped as the man holding the front of Jeno’s pants scowled and looked up, eyes irritated.

“What did I tell-“ The man lifted one of his arms as though he was going to go back to beating the younger boy, and Mark panicked once again.

“Me, take me. Whatever you want, do it to me. Just let him go.” The oldest was still fairly quiet, but the desperation in his eyes had leaked into his voice without his permission. Jeno was glancing at him, trying to shake his head despite the arm against his throat, but Mark ignored him.

Someone had gasped from their place on the couch, but Mark didn’t look in their direction, knowing he had bigger things to deal with.

Despite the boy’s outburst, he man didn’t swing his raised arm. Instead, he held it still for a moment before slowly lowering it to his side. Mark tried to remain completely still, not wanting to ruin his chances at saving Jeno from his presumed fate, a fate that Mark was certain he had just given himself.

The man let go of Jeno completely and took a step toward Mark, and then another, and then another. The oldest could hear his best friend shifting out of fear beside him, but Mark tried to tune it out. As long as he could convince the leader to take him, the others would be okay.

“Whatever I want?” The question made the boy shiver, the leader taking a few more steps until he was inches from Mark. The boy kept his eyes pointed upward, locked with the dark and unforgiving ones boring down on him.

Mark nodded, not wanting to say it again.

The leader laughed and looked up behind the boy, presumably to Min, before glancing down again.

“And why would I do that?” The tone of the man’s voice left Mark feeling uneasy, more so than he already was. It felt as though the leader wanted him to say it, to say what they could do to him in front of his friends, to say exactly what he would be sacrificing for them.

He didn’t want to do it. The shame was climbing up his throat in the form of bile, and Mark would have rather died on the floor right then than offer himself up like that. But it was him or Jeno, him or Donghyuck, him or the kids. He was going to make the right decision, even if it meant a fate much worse than death.

“I- I won’t fight. I’ll take it, all of it. Please, hurt me, not- not them.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more noncon touching and references to future noncon in this!! be safe!

“No, hyung!” Donghyuck never learned his lesson the first time. He was burned twice before finally remembering not to lean on the stove; he was punished twice before he finally remembered not to interrupt the choreographer. It could be annoying, but it was usually a cute, laughable quality. Mark always thought so. Except for now.

The leader glanced his way but didn’t even have to open his mouth. Min was already stepping up behind the boy, pulling him up to his feet by his hair and wrapping his hand around Donghyuck’s slim throat, squeezing. The smaller choked, eyes going wide at the sudden lack of oxygen.

Mark gasped and made to jump up, rules forgotten, when the man in front of him reached out and grabbed his jaw in a vise grip. Mark reluctantly looked up at his captor, trying desperately to ignore Donghyuck’s scared gasps for air.

“You won’t fight, huh? No matter what?” Mark’s jaw clenched at the words and the man only smirked, tightening his grip. The boy wanted to fight, not used to the demeaning, cruel eyes boring down on him. They made him feel ashamed; scared.

After a second, however, Mark’s eyes dulled and the fight dissipated within him. Donghyuck was thrashing now, desperate to escape. His gasps had turned ragged and the older could practically see the absolute terror etched onto the boy’s face. Only Mark could help him.

“I won’t fight if you leave them alone.” There were tears hiding behind his eyes but the oldest was sure the man could see them.

The leader laughed lightly before waving a hand toward Min. The gesture immediately sent Donghyuck collapsing onto his hands and knees, coughing and sputtering. The boy was cradling his throat and all Mark could think about was how much he wanted to save him; how much he wanted to save them all.

The fingers encasing his jaw were finally released and Mark jerked away sharply. He quickly bent down to his dongsaeng, gently holding his shoulders as the younger tried to breathe. The older boy was afraid to speak, afraid of what it would mean for the others, so he sat there silently, encasing his best friend and trying not to look at the other five boys he had sworn to protect.

“H-Hyung, don’t. Please-“ Donghyuck was whispering, his voice cracking from the strain that had been put on his throat. He didn’t look up at Mark, but the older knew there were tears pooling in the corners of his eyes and running down his nose.

Mark tightened his fingers ever so slightly against the younger boy’s back, jaw locking at his dongsaeng’s words. He wanted to listen, to tell Donghyuck he would take it back. But he wouldn’t. More than that, he couldn’t. It had been his job to protect them for years, and just because he suddenly turned twenty didn’t mean that changed. He would still do anything for them, even this.

The older boy sighed shakily, unlocking his jaw and grinding his teeth nervously. Donghyuck had calmed down slightly, but he was still clutching his bruised throat with both hands, keeping his face firmly against the floor. The men were shifting about the room, and Mark could hear quiet snickering from a few of them, but he didn’t want to look up.

Suddenly, there was a hefty thump and soft groan of pain and Mark flinched. His eyes shot up, hands tense against Donghyuck’s trembling body.

Jeno was lying on the floor, eyes closed and mouth open in a grimace of pain. His arms were around his middle, protecting himself, and Mark felt like crying once again.

“I said leave them alone!” The words weren’t particularly loud, but Mark still flinched when he felt Min step up behind him. The leader, who had been pacing in front of the couch where the other members sat, didn’t even glance at Mark this time, his reply flying from his lips without so much as a thought.

“All we did was let him go. Not our fault the slut couldn’t even catch himself.” There wasn’t much menace in his voice this time, instead something akin to indifference.

Mark kept his eyes flickering between the leader and his crumpled dongsaeng, his mouth open in a silent question. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He had already given himself away; signed the contract, per say. But sitting there, comforting his best friend and waiting for the worst moments of his life to happen was excruciating.

“This one’s pretty. Don’t you think, Park? Your type?”

The leader stopped where he stood in front of the couch, crouching down until he was eye level with a trembling Jaemin. The boy looked small, pink hair a mess on top of his head and eyes red rimmed. He was dressed only in his underwear and a thin black shirt, knees drawn up to his chest and head tucked as close to Chenle as possible without laying on him completely. The boy looked small, every ounce of his signature confidence gone.

Jaemin flinched as the man leaned forward, shooting a hand out to wrap around the boy’s small ankle. The movement caused the pink haired boy to yelp, kicking out in an effort to get away.

“Stop!” Jeno was pushing onto his hands, his voice coming out hoarse and drenched in pain. The leader turned quickly, grinning and running a hand through his uncut hair. Jeno tried to push himself onto his knees, but even as nobody made any attempt to stop him, the boy could barely hold his head up.

Mark had cried out something unintelligible upon watching Jaemin’s assault, but Min had quickly wrapped his meaty hand around the boy’s face, efficiently silencing him. Mark was shouting from behind the obstruction, clawing at the man’s arm all the while. His attempts did little to pull the leader’s attention.

“Yeah, he’s good. But I think I’d rather have this one.”

The leader returned his attention to Jaemin’s struggling form, to the quiet pleas and hot tears falling down his cheeks. He smirked before suddenly letting go and standing up.

The man, Park, had wandered passed the coffee table and away from the couch, coming to stand in front of Donghyuck and Mark instead. Min didn’t let go of Mark, instead allowing his other hand to snake into the boy’s hair and pull. Mark cried out from behind his gag, but kept his eyes locked on Park like a laser.

Park was the tallest out of the four, wiry and weathered, with thin black hair and a thin mustache to match. His eyes were small, and Mark practically growled as he watched them rake over Donghyuck’s crumpled body.

“He’s a bit of a fighter, doesn’t listen very well.” The man rambled lowly before crouching down in front of Donghyuck. The boy had heard the words, had felt the presence of the man looming over him, but he didn’t dare move. All he could do was lie still, face pressed against the carpet and eyes clenched shut in fear.

“Yeah. Well, he’s all yours, then. Just don’t hurt him too bad. We already roughed our Jeno up enough.” Mark writhed against the man holding him upon hearing the leader’s words. They had a deal.

The oldest was struggling and screaming into the man’s hand by now, watching as Park leaned down and twined his fingers into Donghyuck’s soft hair. Only then, did the smaller boy decide to fight back.

“Please! Leave us alone! Stop-“ Donghyuck had flinched back, hard, crawling on his palms to get away from the man who was grinning above him. The begging only stopped when the man grabbed his calf, pulling Donghyuck forward and onto his back. 

Just as Park straddled the younger boy, hand fitted tight against his throat, Mark decided he couldn’t watch anyone else get hurt. After only a second of thought, the boy sunk his teeth into the tough skin of Min’s palm. Mark tasted salt at first, before biting harder and feeling hot blood fill his mouth. Min shouted at the sharp sting in his hand, dropping the boy in an attempt to stop the pain.

Mark scooted away on his knees before spitting onto the rug. He could see the red stain as soon as if formed, could feel the coppery liquid sliding down his chin.

“You fucking piece of-“ Min took a step toward the boy, eyes alight with fire and hand clutched up to his chest.

“Wait! Please! Just do whatever you want with me and leave them alone! I-I can take all of you! Just stop hurting them!”

The words were uncharacteristic and loud and everything Mark knew he shouldn’t say, but it didn’t matter. He was losing control over the situation and this was all he could think to do. He held his hands up in a type of surrender, both to Min, as well as the leader, who had been watching his entire outburst with a sort of delighted grin on his face. It was as though their suffering was fueling him on.

The oldest could hear Jeno wheezing, trying to speak from the pile of limbs on the floor. He could hear Donghyuck crying in earnest, despite the restriction of a hand around his neck. Mark ignored them both, locking eyes with their captor.

After a moment, the man laughed deep in his throat.

“Why would we just take you, when we can have all seven?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos + comments pls babezzz <333


	6. Chapter 6

The question made bile bubble up in his throat, but he held himself still, hand wiping at the copper blood coating his chin.

The man’s eyes were daring, questioning. Mark didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t as though he had felt some sort of trust between them, but they had a deal. He had already resigned himself to giving up everything for his boys, and that still wouldn’t be enough.

Mark felt like he was underwater; he felt like the ship was going down and he couldn’t save everyone. Someone wasn’t going to make it out, and no matter how hard he tried, safety kept moving further and further away. With his head down, eyes overrun with tears, Mark glanced around at his little brothers. He caught Donghyuck’s terrified face first. The younger’s eyes were glued to him, wide and confused. Mark tried give him a strong look, something reassuring to cling to. He knew he had failed when Donghyuck slowly slid his red rimmed eyes shut in defeat.

Jisung wasn’t looking at him, and Mark hated how relieved he felt at not having to look the younger boy in the eye. Rather, their youngest was curled into Renjun’s side, shaking with his face pressed into the older’s neck. Renjun, however, was looking straight at Mark. His tears were gone, leaving nothing but dried tracks down his puffy cheeks. He looked completely helpless, something Mark could relate to. The only thing he could do was protect the maknae, and for that, Mark was thankful.

Jaemin still looked as though the leader was cornering him. His eyes were wide, his teeth clenched, and his hands balled up in front of his slim chest. He looked like a wild animal, eyes locked on the leader’s back as he slowly moved around the coffee table. He was glued to Chenle’s side, the younger boy lightly rubbing his forearm because he could do nothing else. Chenle looked absolutely lost. His tears had dried up, much like Renjun’s, but the angry red mark was clear as day on his porcelain cheek.

And then there was Jeno. Mark owed him so much. He did something that Mark could not; he sacrificed something for his members that Mark would have never been able to protect them from. The boy’s eyes were barely held open, face smushed against the blood stained carpet, but he was staring right at Mark. His lips twitched ever so slightly when the older locked onto him, and Mark couldn’t help but feel worse at the way it felt like a grimace.

The older decidedly closed his eyes as new tears began to spill over, pointing his head down to his hands. The leader was speaking, and he could hear shifting around the room, but the blood rushing through his ears made it sound far away and unimportant.

Mark tried to stand, eyes on the floor. As soon as he put pressure on on his feet, however, a pained cry fell from his parted lips. The boy collapsed, knees smacking against the hard floor and hands coming down to protect his upper body.

“The hell happened to you?” One of the men who had been holding Jeno earlier pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning against. Mark looked up toward him, eyes blurry and hands trembling.

“Glass.” The word was all that Mark could mutter in explanation. The man peered around the boy, quickly finding the small pool of blood and the red streaks against the soles of his feet. He snorted at the image, and Mark felt the anger and hurt in his chest bubble up at the sound.

Teeth gritted and fists clenched, Mark pushed himself up and onto his feet once again. Now prepared for the pain, the boy placed the most pressure on his heels and the tips of his toes. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was bearable, and it would certainly get the job done.

“The fuck are you doing, boy?” The same unnamed man barked from where he stood only a few feet away. He didn’t seem threatened by the boy’s movements, only cautious. The leader seemed to share the sentiment as he turned all of his attention onto Mark as well.

Min was still simmering from when the boy bit him, nursing his hand and glaring as he watched the scene unfold. Park, however, had decidedly moved on from the interruption, returning his attention to a squirming and whimpering Donghyuck. The idol was crying still, hands fumbling to push the man’s invasion away. He was succeeding, but Mark knew the older was enjoying the struggle, letting the smaller boy hold him off. It made him sick.

Ignoring the pain in his heart, Mark locked his uncertain eyes back on the leader. With only a second of hesitation, the boy was taking a quick step in his direction. The step looked almost like a hop, the boy barely putting pressure on the balls of his feet, but he persisted anyway.

The movement clearly peeked the man’s interest, a small smirk climbing onto the long-haired man’s wiry features. Mark had to remind himself not to look away as he approached the man, or else his last effort at saving the members would be in vein.

Three more steps brought the boy directly in front of his captor, and Mark had to pinch himself in order to ignore the throbbing in his feet. He had made it to his destination, though, and without a second thought, the boy let himself fall to his knees.

The position was vile, something Mark had never once imagined he would be partaking in, let alone willingly. After closing his eyes for a brief second, Mark looked up and locked eyes with the man who he decidedly hated above all others.

“I’ll make it good. I’ll want it. But you have to leave them alone.” The command was ground out through bitter humiliation and resentment, both of which were only amplified by the sudden gasps and cries of his younger members.

Donghyuck, despite the tears clogging his speech, was the one Mark heard first.

“No, hyung. Mark. I-I can do this. I’m fine. I can handle it.” He sounded afraid, unsure, and completely mortified. Mark couldn’t let his best friend be hurt like that. So he gritted his teeth, swallowing down the rising bile, and kept going.

It started slow, but in the boy’s mind, it couldn’t go slow enough. All he could think about was where his actions were going, his sealed fate.

The boy lifted his shaking hands, almost wishing that the leader would stop him. The man only looked on, however, eyes raking over the smaller boy’s body, both curiously and lustfully. Mark had to close his eyes as he took the final step, flinching as his hands made contact with a rough leather belt and dark pants. He knew he had to keep his eyes open if he wanted to go through with his plan, but the action proved harder than initially thought.

“Hyung!” The barely coherent cry came from Jeno, and Mark could feel the gravel in his throat, slowly choking him. He didn’t want to do it, but Jeno was smart enough to understand why it had to be done.

Ignoring the younger boy’s protest, as well as the whimsical cries filtering around the dorm, Mark allowed his hands to reach the metal buckle, and pull. The leather was tight, and it took a few seconds for his shaking hands to yank it loose from the leader’s hips. Mark didn’t bother to pull it from the loops of his pants, instead moving his quivering fingers toward the button.

The noice of the zipper was loud in Marks head, the only other sound being the pounding of blood. He couldn’t here Jeno anymore, didn’t even know if he was still calling out to him. The kids, he was sure, were still crying, trying to bite back the sobs as to not cause more trouble than they were already in. All that Mark could hope was that they weren’t watching what was about to happen.

With the zipper undone and his hands hovering over their captor’s pants, Mark took a second to look up. The man was staring down at him, a hint of surprise mixed in with an overabundance of smug satisfaction, as if he wasn’t expecting the boy to do anything and everything to protect his brothers. Mark hated him.

His ears were still pounding, his heart rate higher than it had ever been before. The boy took a small chance and glanced to the side, hoping and praying to anything that was listening that Park hadn’t gone back to defiling his best friend.

The position was still compromising, but Mark couldn’t help but be thankful. Donghyuck was now on his knees, shirt stuck under his armpits. He was being held in place by Park, who was crouched behind him, one hand latched tightly in the boy’s soft hair and another rubbing lightly over the his toned stomach. Donghyuck was jerking away from the touches, but his eyes were resolutely glued on Mark, showing determination to do whatever was necessary to protect the group. Even at his own expense.

Slowly, the oldest returned his attention to the man before him, eyes hardening in anticipation.

“Do we have a deal?”

The words were ground up and practically spit at the leader, but Mark couldn’t help it. If his final attempt didn’t work, then there would be nothing left; nothing but coldness and pain and regret. This was his last chance at saving Donghyuck and Jaemin and Jisung, or at least his last chance at stalling their demise. When the men finished with him, there was absolutely no guarantee they would leave the others alone, deal or no deal. Mark just hoped that one of them could figure a way out of there before it was too late.

The leader’s eyes flicked up and away from Mark’s dark ones, and the boy could tell he was glancing at the other captors around the room. Despite the silent communication between them all, the man’s devilish smile remained intact.

After a good minute of deliberation, Mark’s patience began to wear thin. Without allowing himself to thin too much, the boy slipped his weary fingers into the waistband of the leader’s pants. The movement pulled the man’s attention back onto the kneeling boy and, upon their single glance, Mark knew he had succeeded.

“Fine. All of my boys get a go and you’re going to enjoy each and every one of them.” The words sounded too sweet, whispered in a way that Mark felt shouldn’t have been implored for this situation.

He barely had time to decipher what had been said to him before there was a hand in his hair and another one slithering around the front of his body. Mark couldn’t see who it was, but he allowed himself to be moved nonetheless. The leader was smiling, eyes shifting around the room but legs holding him in place only a few feet from the helpless boy.

The snake-like hands were intrusive, the one in his hair sliding down to the underside of the boy’s jaw and holding him tightly. The other had found its way underneath Mark’s thin shirt, pulling the material up to the boy’s armpits. The sudden exposure had the boy flinching, his mind screaming for his body to react, for him to fight and run and just get away. But despite his instincts, Mark found himself pressing his lips into a thin line and slowly leaning back into the firm body behind him.

The movement seemed to appeal to both the man behind him, who Mark had suddenly realized must be unnamed man who had been leaning near the wall, as well as the leader. The latter had a sultry grin plastered on his wiry face and a hand stuffed into his pants, showing little care about who was watching.

The action caught Mark off guard, the boy realizing the extent to which this was about to go.

“Wait! Wait.” The boy cursed himself for sounding so scared, changing his voice to fit the more sensual atmosphere of his captors.

“I thought we had a deal. You aren’t trying to back out on me, are you?” The man’s face was too close to his ear, too close to his neck and his jaw. He felt vulnerable and scared, wishing more than anything for the leader to pull out his knife and just stop this. It would be easier, he thought.

“Of course not. But don’t you think we should do this somewhere a little more, uh, private?” Mark was doing everything to find the right words, to convince the men around him that hurting him out in the open, in front of his brothers, was less favorable than moving into one of the many bedrooms down the hall. On one hand, Mark wouldn’t be able to help protect them if something happened, but on the other. The choice really didn’t seem that difficult. Mark would never be able to look them in the eyes again if they saw what was about to happen. 

Mark looked up in time to see the leader consider it. For the first time in the last ten minutes, there wasn’t a smug smile latched onto that disgusting face of his.

“Why not. You two.” The leader gestured to the man holding Mark, and then to Park, before pointing toward the hallway, his smile returning full force. The boy watched as Park stood, abandoning his place behind Donghyuck, and stalked in the direction of the rooms. He looked irritated at having to leave his prize’s side, but one glance back at a captive Mark and the man’s smirk was back.

The nameless body behind him was standing as well, pulling Mark up without a fight. The boy huffed, unprepared for the sudden movement, but thankful nonetheless. He couldn’t let the kids—his best friends, his brothers—watch as gave himself to these men. He couldn’t let them see the things he was about to willingly do.

“Have fun boys. You have fifteen minutes. Make it count.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didn't edit this, but hopefully it flows well enough. it's about to get bad for the boys, and im terrible at this sort of thing, but hopefully it all sorts itself out by the end
> 
> also, so sorry for being gone for so long, ive been trapped at university and work and ive had no time to write for any of my stories. hopefully that will change soon!!

**Author's Note:**

> pls leave comments + kudos :)) love y'all <33


End file.
